Schafer: Bobby Kotick is a “total prick”

DoubleFine’s Tim Schafer has told Eurogamer that Activision boss Bobby Kotick is both a “total prick” and a “dick,” speaking at Develop today.

It’s worth remembering that Brutal Legend was supposed to be published by Activision until the Blizzard merger, after which is sort of “wasn’t”. The game was eventually published by EA.

“His obligation is to his shareholders,” Schafer said. “Well, he doesn’t have to be as much of a dick about it, does he? I think there is a way he can do it without being a total prick. It seems like it would be possible. It’s not something he’s interested in.”

He added: “[Kotick] makes a big deal about not liking games, and I just don’t think that attitude is good for games in general. I just don’t think we’re an industry of widgets.

“We can approach it like we approach bars of soap, where you’re just trying to make the cheapest bar of soap. He definitely has that that kind of widget-maker attitude. I don’t think he’s great for the industry, overall. You can’t just latch onto something when it’s popular and then squeeze the life out of it and then move on to the next one. You have to at some point create something, build something.

“Hopefully he’ll go back to another industry scene. He could go to an industry that makes more money. Ball bearings… something that suits his passions more. Weapons manufacturing?”